Gareth Thomas to spend £300k on home ice rink

Former rugby star Gareth Thomas has been hooked by 'Dancing on Ice' and wants to install a £300,000 ice rink in his home

Gareth Thomas is splashing out £300,000 on his own ice rink.

The 38-year-old star is looking to figure skating to fill the void left by the end of his rugby career after getting hooked on the sport during his time as a contestant on the current series of ITV show 'Dancing on Ice'.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "The money he's willing to put in will buy a good-sized one that people would pay to use. But he really wants to use it for himself and friends. He wants it just for the joy of keeping up the sport."

The former Wales captain is keen to emulate the success of fellow ex-rugby star and England international Kyran Bracken - who won 'Dancing on Ice' in 2007 - and while he has been receiving some stick from former teammates about his outfits on the programme, he accepts they are part of the experience.

He added: "I'm learning to embrace the sparkles. The wardrobe department showed me the outfits and I thought, 'That's not really me'.

"But when you get into it, you understand the whole performance is a show and the outfits become part of it. You get over it."